Citrus fruit and trees do not freeze until the temperature gets to 28 degrees or lower for at least four hours. A major freeze kills citrus trees, and minor freezes damage the fruit, leading to pre-harvest drop.

Florida should avoid those temperatures and duration through this morning south of a line stretching from Hernando to Lake and Brevard counties, said Robert Garcia, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Ruskin.

Some areas in Polk, Hillsborough and other counties to the south of that line could experience temperatures at 27 or below but probably for just two to three hours, he added.

Florida's strawberry crop, generally grown within a 50 mile radius of Plant City, can be damaged once temperatures hit freezing. But growers can protect the berries by running their irrigation systems, which releases heat when the water turns to ice.

GETTING READY

Florida strawberry growers turned out Monday checking their irrigations systems to run once temperatures approach freezing, said Ted Campbell, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association in Dover.

"It looks like we're right at the edge. Everyone's preparing to do whatever is necessary," Campbell said. "We're probably not dealing with a catastrophic event."

PROTECTING FISH

Florida's tropical fish farmers also turned out in force Monday covering their ponds, which traps warm air during a freeze event, said Marty Tanner, owner of Aquatica Tropicals Inc. of Plant City and president of the Florida Aquaculture Association. Tropical fish become vulnerable once pond water temperatures dip below the mid-50s.

In addition to plastic covers, tropical fish farms can keep pond temperatures up by pumping in warmer underground water, said Ray Quillen of Urban Tropical Inc. in Lakeland.

For strawberry growers, winds that high would hamper spreading an even coat of ice over their fields, leaving some berries exposed. For the tropical fish, the wind could blow off some pond coverings or, even if they stay secure, reach under the covers and blow away the warm air.

Still Tanner and Quillen did not expect major damage to the fish, particularly if the sun come out today.

"If it's a one-night event, it won't be so bad," Quillen said.

The current tomato crop is growing much farther to the south, where no freezing temperatures are expected, said Reggie Brown, chief executive of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange in Maitland.

Even if Florida citrus groves avoid a freeze this week, however, many growers remain concerned about how their greening-infected trees will react to the cold weather.

Greening is a bacterial disease that weakens trees and eventually kills them. The disease, which has infected most of the state's 69 million citrus trees, is believed responsible for last season's record levels of pre-harvest fruit drop, which has also appeared this season.

"I certainly see it's a concern out there," Meadows said. "Greening intensifies all the issues we face."

Meadows and Gene Albrigo, professor emeritus of horticulture at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, agreed Florida citrus finds itself in uncharted territory.

"We don't know because we haven't gone through any kind of freeze with trees in this condition," Albrigo said. "We do believe (greening-infected) trees are vulnerable to any additional stress."

[ Kevin Bouffard can be reached at kevin.bouffard@theledger.com or at 863-401-6980. Read more on Florida citrus on his Facebook page, Florida Citrus Witness, http://bit.ly/baxWuU. ]

<p>WINTER HAVEN | Representatives of the state's citrus, strawberry, tropical fish and tomato industries expressed optimism Monday they can pull through overnight freezing temperatures without significant damage.</p><p>"We're expecting the best," said Andrew Meadows, a spokesman for Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual. "We're cautiously optimistic we'll come out OK."</p><p>Citrus fruit and trees do not freeze until the temperature gets to 28 degrees or lower for at least four hours. A major freeze kills citrus trees, and minor freezes damage the fruit, leading to pre-harvest drop.</p><p>Florida should avoid those temperatures and duration through this morning south of a line stretching from Hernando to Lake and Brevard counties, said Robert Garcia, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Ruskin.</p><p>Some areas in Polk, Hillsborough and other counties to the south of that line could experience temperatures at 27 or below but probably for just two to three hours, he added.</p><p>Tonight and Wednesday morning should see temperatures above freezing as the weather front forcing cold air into Florida moves farther east, bringing warmer weather, Garcia said.</p><p>Florida's strawberry crop, generally grown within a 50 mile radius of Plant City, can be damaged once temperatures hit freezing. But growers can protect the berries by running their irrigation systems, which releases heat when the water turns to ice.</p><p>GETTING READY</p><p>Florida strawberry growers turned out Monday checking their irrigations systems to run once temperatures approach freezing, said Ted Campbell, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association in Dover.</p><p>"It looks like we're right at the edge. Everyone's preparing to do whatever is necessary," Campbell said. "We're probably not dealing with a catastrophic event."</p><p>PROTECTING FISH</p><p>Florida's tropical fish farmers also turned out in force Monday covering their ponds, which traps warm air during a freeze event, said Marty Tanner, owner of Aquatica Tropicals Inc. of Plant City and president of the Florida Aquaculture Association. Tropical fish become vulnerable once pond water temperatures dip below the mid-50s.</p><p>In addition to plastic covers, tropical fish farms can keep pond temperatures up by pumping in warmer underground water, said Ray Quillen of Urban Tropical Inc. in Lakeland.</p><p>Windy conditions could create some problems for strawberry and tropical fish producers, however. Garcia predicted winds between 10 to 15 mph across Central Florida.</p><p>For strawberry growers, winds that high would hamper spreading an even coat of ice over their fields, leaving some berries exposed. For the tropical fish, the wind could blow off some pond coverings or, even if they stay secure, reach under the covers and blow away the warm air.</p><p>Still Tanner and Quillen did not expect major damage to the fish, particularly if the sun come out today. </p><p>"If it's a one-night event, it won't be so bad," Quillen said.</p><p>The current tomato crop is growing much farther to the south, where no freezing temperatures are expected, said Reggie Brown, chief executive of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange in Maitland.</p><p>Even if Florida citrus groves avoid a freeze this week, however, many growers remain concerned about how their greening-infected trees will react to the cold weather.</p><p>Greening is a bacterial disease that weakens trees and eventually kills them. The disease, which has infected most of the state's 69 million citrus trees, is believed responsible for last season's record levels of pre-harvest fruit drop, which has also appeared this season.</p><p>"I certainly see it's a concern out there," Meadows said. "Greening intensifies all the issues we face."</p><p>Meadows and Gene Albrigo, professor emeritus of horticulture at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, agreed Florida citrus finds itself in uncharted territory.</p><p>"We don't know because we haven't gone through any kind of freeze with trees in this condition," Albrigo said. "We do believe (greening-infected) trees are vulnerable to any additional stress."</p><p>[ Kevin Bouffard can be reached at kevin.bouffard@theledger.com or at 863-401-6980. Read more on Florida citrus on his Facebook page, Florida Citrus Witness, http://bit.ly/baxWuU. ]</p>